Living / 1 November, 2021 / Ellie Thompson
Nothing says ‘Christmas’ quite like a new bike. If you’re researching the best first bikes for kids this festive season, you’ve come to the right place. We take a look at five great bikes for first-time riders, including an introduction to the brilliant Bike Club, a new subscription service for kids.
When it comes to choosing the best bike for your child, it’s important to take into account how heavy they are. For little ones, aluminium lightweight options are ideal. Oh, and don’t be tempted to buy a bike your child will grow into, it’s best to invest in a quality bike that fits just right.
We’re assuming you’ll want to keep the bike a secret until the big day. If that’s the case, you’ll need to measure your child’s height and inside leg measurement and match it to the correct wheel size. Top tip: when you’re sizing up a kids’ bike, it’s always done by the wheel diameter.
Here are our five recommendations of the best first bikes to wrap up and place under the tree this Christmastime.
The Pinnacle Koa 14 inch is built for action, making it a great choice for all-round use, and of course, stacks of fun.
Its sensible design caters for shorter legs and first-time riders mastering the basics. This bike is super-easy to handle, thanks to quality bearings in hubs, cranks and its headset.
The Koa 14 inch is designed to last, so it’s one you can pass on or hand down to a younger sibling. Available in orange, pink or yellow.
The lightweight aluminum Raleigh Pop 14 is jam-packed with retro charm and style. A cracking starter bike for boys or girls, the Pop would make the perfect gift for 4 to 6 year-olds this Christmas.
The Pop 14 offers exceptional build quality and is designed for younger kids that need a bit of support, making it the perfect choice for a first bike. The Pop comes with stabilisers, to help build your child’s confidence, so they can quickly conquer the basics of cycling while looking completely awesome at the same time.
Available in contrasting colourway red and turquoise.
HOY’s best-selling bike the Bonaly is named after the area of Pentland Hills where a younger Sir Chris Hoy rode his first mountain bike.
A lightweight bike, the Bonaly is compatible with stablisers, and has extra-small brake levers for little hands to easily control. Its padded seat offers the ultimate in comfort, and its careful design brings feet closer together.
The Bonaly 14 inch is available in hot pink.
The Molli is great for enticing youngsters into the world of cycling and is the obvious choice for any little princess. Inspired by Raleigh’s grown-up models, this bike pairs super-cute fruit detailing with a gorgeous wicker basket.
The Raleigh Molli is expertly crafted for little legs. Built with a lightweight aluminum frame, its easy-to-manoeuvre design encourages an upright riding position ideal for first-time riders.
With high-rise handlebars, non-slip pedals, adjustable brake levers for little fingers, and front and rear mudguards to keep them clean and dry, they’ll be racing around the block in no time.
What’s more, every Molli bike comes with matching stabilisers and a cuddly Molli dog, to pop in their basket on every adventure.
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The Bike Club is the UK’s first monthly kids’ bike subscription service. They offer high-quality kids’ bikes that can be exchanged as children grow. This means your child can cycle with confidence, enjoying the perfect-sized fit at all times. You can hire everything from balance bikes for toddlers, to first bikes and hybrid/off-road options. That’s Christmas and beyond completely sorted!
They’ll help you find the ideal option for your child, by taking an inner leg measurement and your child’s age. There are no large upfront costs and you can arrange everything from the comfort of your own home.
Available at Bike Club, the Forme Cubley 14 is ideal for little riders aged 3-4 years old. There are six colours available, making this a great option for girls and boys.
The Forme Cubley 14 is built with a lightweight frame that weighs just 6.13kg, so your child can pedal and cycle with ease. Designed with unpredictable British weather in mind, it has a hidden headset and all-weather Kenda tyres, so it’s ready for anything.
The Forme Cubley is guaranteed to turn beginners into confident cyclists in no time.